The famous scenic cliffs over Sunset Beach and Pipeline almost became the site of a housing project. The preservation of those Pupukea-Paumalu lands, more than a thousand acres of unspoiled North Shore beauty, now represents that rare example of one community's triumph over the powers that be.

One irony of yesterday's Ho'olaule'a festival celebrating Pupukea-Paumalu's permanent protection was the fact that numerous ambassadors of the powers that be thanked the community for succeeding.

"Today is a day for us to say how much we appreciate what you have done here on the North Shore to make sure that government was responsive," said Mayor Mufi Hannemann, echoing the many other federal, state and local representatives who spoke at the event.

State Rep. Michael Magaoay, D-46th (Kahuku, North Shore, Schofield), led officials at the podium in a standing ovation for the North Shore crowd.

"The truth is we wouldn't be here today without all of you," said Gov. Linda Lingle.

Lingle got a rousing round of applause from the hundreds in attendance when she added, "We must reduce our economic dependence on land development to drive our economy."

Laura H. Thielen, chair of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, said the community had created the very mechanism by which more lands can be saved.

"What you've done is not only protect Pupukea-Paumalu forever, you've created these relationships between these groups that are sitting here so we can do more land acquisitions around our state," Thielen said.

After years of work, a deal to acquire the property was completed last June. Some 25 acres along Kamehameha Highway would be conveyed to the city for use as a nature preserve. The remainder of the property would go to the state to be part of the Park Reserve system.

In addition to speakers, yesterday's gala event included live entertainment, food, hula, a craft fair and a farmers market. But for many the highlight was simply knowing that the community had won its decades long campaign to protect the lands.

Ralph Hartman and his wife, Lyn Nanni, along with virtually everyone at the Ho'olaule'a, credited Blake McElheny, president of the North Shore Community Land Trust, with leading the campaign to save Pupukea-Paumalu from development.

Hartman said when the fight started back in the 1980s, McElheny was just a kid and the effort was called "Save Sunset Beach."

"We were having meetings and holding signs on the side of the road," he said. "Blake's the one who pulled it all together. We were all just making noise all those years before that. He took that noise and started directing it at different entities that could help."

McElheny's involvement shifted into high gear in 2002 when Obayashi Corp., the Japanese construction company that owned the land since 1974, put the parcel on the open market for $12 million and word spread that it would be used for a 500-home project.

McElheny formed an all-volunteer, grass-roots coalition to raise money to buy the property. At one point, entertainer Jack Johnson, who sang at yesterday's event, flew to Japan to appeal to Obayashi on behalf of the group.

In the end Obayashi accepted $8 million for the lands. The community raised $650,000. The rest came from the city, state, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Army.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.